Loose leaf binder



May 5, 1931. A. G. I OTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Dec. '7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z @Zi/1 y? (7 Q 0 @JAM/"aw l.: lllilh HHHHM. Nmmxmrmwwmm lx.. unlwx||1| l L I i @30 ODO O o O o Jm. mw 75W/ f j E D J M WHW? Uhg/f/J f May'5, 1931. A. G. LOTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7,-1929 lll llilllllllll 'Illlllllllll 2 m Si? 2J L.

@JAN iU/ 7. mf/H1 Patented May 5, 1931 AEOLP G. LOTTER, OIE' MILVAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'I O STATIONERS LOOSE LEAF CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFWISCONSIN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed December 71929.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders, of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 1,777,006, issued September 30, 1930, and commonly used in connection with visible record systems in which the leaves are so arranged in the binder that their lower and upper edges are staggered to permit data on the upper portion of the leaves to be visible at all times.

In the visible record system of bookkeeping, it is frequently necessary to insert or remove leaves from the book, in which case it is necessary to shift some of the leaves to maintain their staggered relation at all times. Numerous devices for accomplishing this result have been proposed, but these are either expensive to manufacture or do not provide the desired exibility in the insertion or removal of the leaves, and therefore, this invention contemplates as an obj ect the pro-- vision of an improved binder for use in connection with visible record systems which has great flexibility as to the ability to shift one or more leaves in either direction to accommodate the removal or insertion of other leaves. Y

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved binder of the character described which is so constructed mechanically as to be easily operated and which will not be readily damaged by the rough handling to which devices of this character are normally subjected.

Her'etofore binders adapted for use withV visible recordsystems havehad their series of impaling prongs staggered with respect tov each other by longitudinally shifting either one or both series and this invention has as a further objectl the provision of an improved manner of mountingV the impaling prongs whereby they are rotated to stagger theirl adjacent ends to facilitate shifting of the leaves. i Y

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision of means for shifting the impaling prongs by rotating them about a pivotal. mounting wherein the shifting medium is enclosed within the bin-der structure so that the external appearance of the binder is in no way impaired.

Serial No. 412,342.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such `changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed 'according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a binder embodying this invention with the covers and leaves in open position and with a por Figure e is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure l on the plane of the line 1 -4.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5 represents a loose leaf binder back plate havingy covers 6 and 7 hinged to its oppositeedges as at`8, the back plate being preferably formed with its marginal edges 9 directed inwardly and having a base plate 10 extending across the marginal plate by rivet means l1 or the like.

The base plate 10 has a lazy tong device mounted thereon which consists of a pair of intersecting levers 12 and 13 pivotally connected at their point of intersection by a rivet or pin lt passing therethrough and through theY back; plate, base plate and a edges, the base plate being fixed to the back y 17 otthe latch member through which the slidably mounted latch or locking member 15, to be later described. The pin 14 is riveted over the back plate and the latch member 15 and has a spacing collar 16 thereon to maintain the lazy tong members and the latch member in spaced relation, the aperture pin 14 passes being elongated to permit limited longitudinal movement oit the member.

A pair ofv smaller levers or links 18 and 19 having their outer ends pivotally connected, as at 20, is connected with the levers 12 and 13 at each side of their pivotal connection 14, by rivets 21- or the like, passing through the inner ends of the levers 18 and 19 and through the levers12 and 13, at points equi-spaced; from the pivot pin 14, the pivots passing through elongated apertures 22 inthe baseV plate 10 to guide their movements and insure the movement of the adj acent ends otlevers- 12 and 13 in the saine plane, as will-be readily apparent.

The ends of levers 12 and 13 are pivotally connected with a pair ot sidewise, movable slide plates or members 23 and 24 by rivets 25 that pass through elongated apertures 26 in the levers-12 and 13 to provide the necessary play, so that the slide plates are maintained lparallel at all times by the lazy tong device.

The slide plates 23V and 24 are slightlyl shorter than t-he baseV plate 1() and are guided for movement thereover by upwardly and inwardly directed 'la-nges 27 and 28 respectively, at the opposite ends of the base plate, and are maintained spaced from th-e base plate by downwardly extended transverse beads or ribs 29 formed at each end of the slide plates 23 and 24, the height of the beads or ribs being substantially equal tothe combined thickness of the levers 12 and 13.

rlwo seri-es of cooperating impaling prongs or ring members 30 and 31 are associated with the slide members 23 and 24 respectively. The prongs of the series 30 are stationary with respect Vto the slide plate 23 and are welded or otherwise secured, as at 32, to a cover plate 33, which is connected with the slide plate 23 by rive-ts 34 and has its outer marginal. edge flanged downwardly as at toprovide a neat external appearance.

The prongsof the series 31 are adaptedfor swinging or rotational movement with respect tothe slide plate 24, and toA accommodate such movement, have their inner ends provided with flat tail pieces 36 through which rivets 37 pass to pivotallyy connect them with the slide plate 24. The outer ends of the tail pieces. 36 have downwardly projecting pins or trunnions 38, whose portions beneath the tail pieces are. stepped to provide sections. 39l and 40 of small and large diameters respectively. rl`he sections 39 and 40. are received respectively in elongated openings 41 in the slide plate 24 and transversely enlarged openings 42 in a prong actuating bar 43 which extends throughout the entire length of the binder back and is mounted, in a manner to be later described, to cause the simultaneous shifting of the series of prongs 31.

The openings 41 in the slide plates and the openings 42 in the actuating bar 43 as stated, are elongated to accommodate the radial movement of theinnermost ends of the tail pieces as the prongs are swung to their piyots 37, and inasmuch as the lowermost sections of the trunnions 38 are larger in diameter than the width ot the openings 41 it is obvious that their engagement in the openings 41 assists in maintaining the prongs 3l against all movement except rotation about their pivots 37.

The prong shitting or actuating bar 43 is slidably mounted beneath the slide plate 24 by rivets or other securing means 44 secured in suitable apertures in the slide plate, and passing through longitudinal elongated apertures 45 in the bar 43 whereby longitudinal shifting of the bar with respect to the slide plate is accommodated. The length of the apertures 45 is such as to limit the movement of the bar to the" distance required to insure the proper movement of the prongs.

One end of the prong` actuating bar 43 has a sidewise projected portion 46 to the outer end of which a stud 47 is secured which eX- tends upwardly and provides means tor shifting the bar longitudinally to eiiect the simultaneous turning or shitting ot the prongs comprising the series 31.

A cover plate 48 similar in design tothe cover plate 33 is secured tothe slideplate 24 over the prong tail pieces by rivets 49, apertures 50 in the plate permitting the prongs to extend therethrough without interfering with their swinging or rotational movement. lli-n elongated aperture 51 is also provided in the plate 48 through which the stud 47 extends to accommodateV its longitudinal movement during shitting of the prong actuating bar 43 as will be readily apparent.

rl`he stud 47 cooperates with a second stud 52 secured to the cover plate 33 of theseries ot prongs 30 to facilitate the sidewise movement oi the slide plates and their associated impaling prongs, and to accommodate such movement the inwardly. directed. flange 28 of the base plate atits end adjacent the prongs 47 and 52 has. its end portions cut away as at 53. The slide. plate 24, also has its corner adjacent the stud 47 out away as at 54. to accommodate the lower end 55 ofthel stud which projects downwardly beneaththe plane of the base plate 10. and is reduced in diameter to be received in recesses 56 and 57 onoppositesides of a finger 58.

The engagement of the stud end 55 with he linger 58-servesY to lock the prong actuating bar 43 against longitudinal movement when the slide bars and their associated prongs are in closed position and necessitates the full separation of the same before the longitudinal shifting of the bar to swing Vthe series of prongs 3l can be effected.

When the slide plates and their associated prongs are closed onto each other' and the binder is said to be in closed position it may be secured in said position by means of the locking member 15. This member as stated is mounted for longitudinal shifting with respect to the base plate by the rivet 14,y and similar rivets 14, and cooperates with raised lugs or tongues 59 struck from the inner marginal edges of the cover plates 33 and 48 to secure the prong carrying sections against separation. To effect this cooperation, the lugs are adapted to be engaged in locking recesses 60 formed in raised portions 61 of the locking member 15, and are of a height to permit the raised portions 61 to pass thereover when the member 15 is shifted to unlocking position.

rThe specific construction and operation of the locking member 15 and its associated mechanism is shown and described at length in my Patent No. 1,777 ,006 hereinbefore referred to and reference may be had thereto for a detailed description of the locking member and its operation.

When it is desired to effect the shifting of one or more leaves, the binder is opened as illustrated in Figure 1 and the latch member 15 is operated to release the mechanism for opening, by depressing its end 62 to disengage its lugs 63 from the head 64 of the adjacent rivet 14, and moved downwardly with respect to Figure 1. This movement of the locking member 15 aligns' the lugs 59 with the raised portions 61 and'thus releases the slide blades for sidewise movement.

The studs 47 and 52 are then grasped and moved apart to separate the series of impaling prongs and disengage the stud end 55 from the recess 57. The stud 47 may then be moved upwardly with respect to Figure 1 to shift the 'series of prongs 31 about their pivotal mountings 37 to the position illustrated in Figure 2. The studs 47 and 52 are then moved toward each other so that the prongs of the two series, when they reach their fully closed position, are in staggered relation to facilitate the transfer of leaves from one series of prongs to the other without disturbing their staggered relation.` The binder may be locked in this position by moving the member 15 upwardly with respect to Figure 2 to re-engage its locking recesses 60 withV the lugs 59.

After the sheetsy have been shifted, the binder is unlocked, the prongs separated,.and the stud 47 moved kto again align the prongs 31 with the prongs 30 and the binder then closed to interlock the ends of the adjacen prongsas illustrated in Figure 1. l

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of the character described appertains, that I provide a novel and improved binder especially adapted for use with visible record systems, in which the shifting of the prongs to staggered relationship is effected in an extremely simple and efficient manner, and in which both sections of the binder are symmetrical in appearance and substantially so in construction, and wherein the entire operating mechanism and all the moving elements are disposed within the back of the binder so that the eX- ternal appearance thereof is greatly enhanced.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a. loose leaf binder adapted to contain record leaves, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, means for mounting and guiding the series of impaling prongsfor movement away from each other to permit removal or addition of record leaves, means mounting the impaling prongs of one series for angular movement to'stagger their ends with respect to the impaling prongs of the other series to effect longitudinal shifting of said leaves with respect to each other, and totally enclosed means for simultaneously moving the prongs of said first series.

2. In a loose leaf binder adapted to contain record leaves, two vseries of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, means for mounting and guiding the series of impaling prongs for movement away from each other to permit removal or additionl of record leaves,

means mounting the impaling prongs of one series for angular movement to stagger their ends with respect to the impaling prongs of the other series to effect longitudinal shifting of said leaves with respect to each other, and longitudinally movable means wholly enclosed within the binder structure for simultaneously moving the prongs of said first series, K

3. In a loose leaf binder adapted to contain record leaves, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, means for mounting and guiding one series of'impaling prongs for movement toward and away from the other to permit the removal or addition of record leaves, said means including a cover plate, means disposed beneath the cover plate for mounting'the impaling prongs of said first series for angular movement to shift their free ends with-respect to the impaling prongs of the other series, the prongs of said first series passing through Vapertures in the cover plate, and means longitudinally movable and disposed beneath the cover plate for simultales neously imparting-movement tothe impalingprongs of' said first Series.

4. In a loose leaf'binder, two series of impalingprongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, mounting means for the impaling prongs movable to ward and away from each other, and each mounting means including spaced inner and outer platek members, means pivotally connecting the prongs of one series with the inner plate member of its associated mounting means, and longitudinally shiftable means connected with the ends of the impaling prongs of saidi series for imparting simultaneous movement to the impaling prongs about their pivotal mountings, and the associated outer plate having apertures through which the impaling prongs extend whereby the mounting and: shifting means of ythe prongs is totally enclosed by said outer plate.

5; In a loose leaf binder of the character described, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging toV form binding rings, mounting means forthe impaling prongsmovable toward and. away from each other and each including a plate member, means pivotally connecting the impaling prongs ofone series directly with the plate member of its associated. mounting means, and means engaged with the inner ends of the impaling prongsof said series for imparting simultaneous movement to the prongs of said series to position their free ends out oftransverse alignment with their mounting ends to facilitate shifting of the leaves.

6; In a loose leafV binder of the character described, two series of impaling prongs with theirends normally engaging to form binding rings, mounting means for the impaling prongsmovable toward and away from each other, the mounting means of one series including an outer enclosing member having only sidewise movement incidental to the movement of the mounting means toward and away from each other and an inner member movable sidewise with the outer enclosing member and longitudinally shiftable with respect to the enclosing member, means pivotally mounting the impaling prongs of said'y series to permittheir free ends to be movedv out ofv alignment with the impaling prongs of the other series, land cooperating means carried by the impaling: prongs of said series and. the longitudinally shiftable inner member for imparting simultaneous movement to the pivotally mounted impaling prongs.

7. In aY loose leaf book adapted to contain record leaves, a base, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings associated with the base, members foi` supporting the series of impaling prongs, one ofV said members being transversely movable over the base, means pivotally mounting the impaling prongs. of

one series on the transverselyfmovable member, a longitudinally shiftable member mounted beneath the transversely movable member, and means carried by the impaling prongs ofv said series and extending through the transversely movable member to be engaged with the longitudinally shiftable member whereby shifting thereof simultaneously moves the impaling prongs about their piv# otal mountings to stagger their ends with respect to the ends of the impaling prongs of the other series.

8. Ina loose leaf book adapted to contain record leaves, a base, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaging to form binding rings associated with the base, members for supporting the series of impaling prongs, one of said members being transversely movable over the base, means pivotally mounting the impaling prongs of one series on the transversely movable member, a longitudinally shiftable member mounted beneath the transversely movable member, means carried by the impaling prongs of said seriesand extending through said last mentioned member to be engaged with the longitudinally shiftable member whereby shifting thereof simultaneously movesthe impaling prongs about their pivotal mountings to stagger their ends with respect to thevends of the impaling prongs of the other series, and a cover member having apertures through which the impaling prongs pass for enclosing their mounting and shifting means. Y

9. In a loose leaf book adapted to contain record leaves, a base member, a pair of slide members mounted on the base member for transverse movement toward and from each other, a series of impaling prongs associated with each slide member to normally engage at their ends and form binding rings, means pivotally mounting the impaling prongs of one series on its slide member, means carried by the inner ends of said pivotally mounted impaling prongs and extending through the slide member on which they are pivotally mounted, a longitudinally shiftable member mounted beneath the said slide member and engaging the means carried by the inner ends of the pivotally mountedimpaling prongs to impart simultaneous movementV to said impaling prongs about their pivotal mountings, and cover means enclosing said slide member and'its associated mechanism.

v10. In a loose leaf book, of the character described, a base member, a pair of slide plates mounted for transverse movement over the base member, a series of impaling prongs associated'with each slide plate to normally engage at their ends and form binding rings, the prongs of one series being rigid with respect Vto its slide plate and the prongs of the vother series being movable with respect to the other slide plate to shift the free ends of the second Series of prongs into staggered relationship With the fixed prongs, means longitudinally shitable With respect to the second mentioned slide plate Jfor simultaneously imparting said movement to the mov able prongs, and cover plates Connected With each slide plate, the cover plate associated With the slide plate for the movable prongs enclosing their inner ends and the means for moving them.

il. in a loose leaf binder of the Character described, tvvo series of impaling prongs With their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, transversely movable means for supporting the impaling prongs, the means for supporting the prongs of one series including a plate member and the prongs of said series having their inner ends provided With lateral extensions, means pivotally connecting the lateral extensions of said series of prongs with the plate member, and means engageable With the innermost ends of said extensions for simultaneously moving the prongs of said series about their pivotal mountings to stag-ger their free ends with respect to the prongs of the other series.

l2. In a loose leai:l binder of the character described, two series of impaling prongs With their ends normally engaging to form binding rings, mounting means movable toward and away from each other for supporting the impaling prongs, the mounting means of one series or" prongs inclu-ding a plate member and the inner ends of the prongs of said series being laterally extended to ov-erlie the plate member, means pivotally connecting said overlying ends of the prongs With the plate member, a longitudinally shiftable member mounted beneath the plate member, and means carried by the innermost ends of the laterally extended ends of said prongs and passing through apertures in the plate member to be engaged With the longitudinally shiitable means whereby movement of said longitudinally shiitable means imparts simultaneous rotation to the prongs to staggerl their free ends With respect to the prongs of the other series.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aiiixed my signature v ADOLPH G. LOTTER. 

